Spring biased actuator



y 9, 1953 G. w. CARLSON 2,639,139

- SPRING BIASED ACTUATOR Filedsept. 23, 1948 3nnentor George W Carlson fl a Saul.

(Ittornegs and to bias its movement on a support.

Patented May 19, 1953 SPRING BIASED ACTUATOR George W. Carlson, Wayne, Mich., assignor to Robotyper Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

ration of Michigan corpo- Application September 23, 1948, Serial No. 50,746

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a spring biased actuator for relays such as valves and the like,and more particularly, to an improved arrangement of mechanism for mounting an operating member on a support and for resiliently biasing its movement thereon.

The use of relays for remotely controlling the operation of machinery and apparatus is well known. Such relays commonly comprise a valve or an electrical contactor, depending on whether the apparatus controlled thereby is electrically or fluid pressure operated, and are'usually pro vided with an operating member having a bias for movement to or from an operating position for controlling the operation of the valve or contactor. The mechanism for mounting and biasing the operating member usually consists of several parts which are difiicult and expense to assemble and repair.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an improved arrangement of mechanism for mounting and biasing the movement of a relay operating member or actuator in which the required number of operating parts isreduced to a minimum and which may be assembled with little effort and expense.

' A further object of this invention is to provide a single element which is operative both to mount and to bias an operating member or actuator for a relay.

Generally speaking, the above and related objects of the invention are accomplished by the provision of a single leaf spring which is constructed in such manner that it is operable to both mount the operating member in position The spring is constructed by bending a flat strip of spring steel into two integral parts of unequal length which are inclined angularly relative to each other. The shorter part is provided with an opening by which it may be mounted on a pin with the longer part yieldably engaging with the operating member to resiliently bias its movement. The movement of the operating member is confined to a single plane by the pin on which the spring is mounted and by a secondpin spaced from the mounting pin, the operating member having spaced openings through which the pins extend for guiding its movement. The shorter spring part has its free end engaged with an end of the operating member so that movement of the operating member is further confined to a pivotal movement about its end. The longer spring part is flexible relative to the shorter part and has its free end engaged :with the operating I 2 a. member at a point spaced from the mounting pin and is thus operable to resiliently bias the pivotal movement of the operating member. The structure is assembled by the simple operation of securing the shorter spring part onthe mounting pin and may be readily taken apart by the reverse of this operation. I

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description.

In the drawing, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a relay valve having operating mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention; v Fig. 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the structure shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the application of the invention to an electrical contactor relay. I

In the various figures of the drawing, the numeral I'designates a support having a pair of parallel pins 2 and 3 projecting outwardly therefrom. An operating member comprising a flat strip 4 is mounted on the top surface of the sup-' port and is provided with a pair of openings 5 and 6 therein through which the pins 2 and 3, respectively, extend. The opening 5 has a loose fit on the pin 2 and the opening 6 is elongated or a slot for a purpose to be described. The pins 2 and 3 have their axes located in a common plane andare operable to guide the movement of the operating member 4 and to confine it to move ment in such plane.

To secure the operating member 4 in a position on the support I and to provide a resilient bias thereto, there is provided a mounting element indicated as a whole by the numeral 1. The element 1 is formed from a strip of spring steel and is bent as at 8 to provide parts 9 and ID of unequal length which extend angularly relative to each other as shown in the drawings. The shorter part 9 is provided with an opening I I having a diameter slightly larger than that of the pin 2. To mount the element 1 in position, the end l2 of the part I0 is placed in engagement with the member 4 at a point adjacent the pin 3 and pressure is applied to the part I!) which is flexed until the part 9 occupies a position sub stantially normal to the pin 2. This action is necessary in order that the pin 2 may be entered through the opening ll. After the pin 2 is inserted through the opening ll, downward pres sure'is applied to the part 9 to force it down wardly on the pin 2 until its lower edge I3 contests the member 4 adjacent its end 14. When pressure is released, the member I will spring to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and will be securely held in such position. In such posi tion, it will be noted that the short spring part 9 extends angularly relative to the pin 2 and the edgesrof the Opening H will bind tightly against-the sides of the post 2. This binding action is responsible for the curvature of the part 9 as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3. To remove the the member 1, it is necessary to pry .llpwardly. on the edge l3 and press downwardly on the center portion of the part it) to position the shottpart 9 at substantially a right angle to the;pin:2; and thus move the edges of the opening ll out of engagement with the pin 2. This action releases the short part 9 which may then'be withdrawn upwardly with respect to the pin 2.

When the member I is mounted on the pin 2 as described above. its end [3 will hold the. end of .the operatingmember-A against thesupportl. Movementpf the member'ilis-,thus'limited to pivotal movement about its -en d-l -4 in-a plane-commonztothepins 2 and 3. To-permit this movement'theopening 5 is-enlargedto-provide a loose fit onthepin :2; and theopeninat iszelongated. The endd z of the part It provides a resilient bias in a clockwise :direction. against the part 4. The part It is flexible and will yield to allow pivotal movement of the part 4 in a counter-clockwise direction about its end 14. The resilient biasagainst the operating member 4-may bereadily increasedbyemployingitwo or more springelements =1. Insuchzcase, the spring elements 1 are mounted in superimposed position on the pin 2. Theend l2 isprovided with a slot IS in which the pin 3 is receivable to preventthe-spring "1-. from rotatingabout thepin 2.

The structure thus far :described provides a pivotal biasing mount for the member-'4 which is readily adaptable for use in -a relay. Figs. land 2 illustrate the-applicatiomof :the member 4 as the operating :member for ajfluid pressure .valve controlling the operation, for examplebf a vacuum suspended piston -or apparatus -(not shown). In-this showing,thezsupport] comprises a valvebody provided with.=a;conduit 1,6 which is connected to a source of below atmospheric pressure; such as a. cylinder Ehavingza; piston suspended therein "by vacuum. The .rconduitz I16 is connected with ra passage If! in .the support I having an opening orrport l8;on;the:top;surface. of the support I. ,When the-member 4 is.in-its;normal position as shown in Figs. .1;and,2,' the .port |,8.is closedibyv apad l9 ofleatherzor othersuitable material secured ;.to the underside .ofxzthe operating member :4. In such .position, .the mad i9 is effective to disconnect the conduit :from the atmosphere. Uponrotationxof theoperating member 4 in a countereclockwise. direction againstthebias of:the spring I=0, the pad-:tlwill uncover the port laitoiconnect the conduit li-ito theatmosphere. Air .will then flow through .the conduit l6to. operate apparatus (not shown) to which it is connected.

In :Fig. 3, thereis shownanapplication'of the invention t0 an electrical relay. In this show.- ing the support :I is provided with a -,pair .101 stationary contacts .20 and v2! respectively connected with a pair of insulated conductors 12:2 and-23. Theoperatingmember4.is,formed otconducting materialandis mountedon the contacts and .2 l described. above in; connection .with the support I ,In .its normal position .asshown bridging engagement with the contact 2|.

upon movement of the member 4'in a counterclockwisedirection against the bias of the spring [0 which action will move the member 4 out of An actuating member 24 is connected to the member '4 "for operating the same.

From the foregoin it will be apparent that .there is...provided .:an exceedingly simple arrangement. of operating mechanism for controlling the operation of a relay. Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the single member 1 is efiective to both secure the operating member 4 in position on a support and to provide a resil-ient bias forits movementrelative-to-thersupport. In addition, it willbe-notedthat the member I is the only-movable-member required-to assemble and disassemble the relay operating mechanism. It willrthus be'seen that thesimplicity of the structure affords-desirable features with respect'to the-cost of its construction-and assembly.

Although I have illustratedand described only a preferred form of the .invention and-amodification, it willbe recognizedthat changesin the details and arrangement. disclosed may be made without departing from-the-spirit-of the invention of the scopeof the .appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In an actuator, asupport, anoperating membercomprising a flat-strip-adaptedto normally lie flat on saidsupport, and-having an, opening adjacent an end thereof andan-elongated slot positioned inwardlyfrom said opening, a 1 Pai Of pins projecting .uDwa-rdly from 1 said support 1 and extending through said opening, and-,s1ot,. respectively, for positioning said. strip ,on said'support, and a strip of;spring vsteelgformed of .two parts xtending an ularly relative to .each oth r, n of said parts being relativelyshortandihaving an opening: slightly. largerthan andu'eceivingjhe pin extending through saidpneratingstrip opening to ,mount, said spring strip on said support with the end of said short part engaged withrthe end ofysaid operating; strip adjacent the-opening therein, the :other of said parts being .relatively long andinresilient engagement with-said operating strip adjacent said elongated: slot .when said 'shorterpart is mountedonsaid pin, said other part being resiliently ,yieldable :to .allow pivotal :movement of said operating stripabout an :axis extending transversely-thereof and adjEtCBl'ltsSflld end, said pins. and spring being operative, to; restrain said. operating strip. against. movement about axes other than.: said pivotalaxis.

2. In an actuator-,a support, an operating member ,movable relative .to said support, .-a $138411" 01' mounting pins'having parallelaxes located'ina common plane, .saidsmcmber having openings through which .said pins extend 'for restrain n saidmember against. movement other: than in said common plane, and-a .leaf'springihavingntwo parts of, unequal length angularly .inclinectto each other, one of said partsrbeing,rclativelyishortzand having an openin therein .gslightly Jarger than and receiving one of said pins to mount said spring with the-free. end oisiid onopart engaged with one end .of said operating member to .confinemovement of said operating. member to. a pivotal movement about its said one end, the other of said parts being relatively long and being engaged with said operating member adjacent the other of said pins for resiliently biasing its piv-' otal movement in said common plane.

3. A resilient biasing device comprising a. leaf spring having two parts extending angularly relative to each other, a support having a pin projecting outwardly therefrom, one of said parts having intermediate its ends an opening slightly larger than and receiving said pin, and a member with which the other of said parts is yieldably engaged and against which it applies a resilient biasing force, the reaction of said biasing force on said spring moving its said one part to an an position on said pin with opposite edges of the opening therein in holding engagement with said pin.

4. A resilient biasing device comprising a leaf spring having two parts of unequal length extending angularly relative to each other, the shorter of said parts having an opening therein intermediate its ends, a support having a pin project- 6 ing outwardly therefrom and extending through said opening, said opening being slightly larger than said pin, and a member in yielding engagement with the free end of the longer of said sprin parts and against which it exerts a resilient biasing force, the reaction of said biasing force holding said shorter part in an angularly inclined position relative to said pin and with opposite edges of the opening therein in binding engagement with said pin.

7 GEORGE w. CARLSON. References Cited in the file of this patent 

